In short...
Themes: Fables; humility; Jupiter.
Summary: This assembly, which is suitable for an act of collective worship, focuses on a fable called ‘Jupiter and the Animals’ and considers the value of humility.
Resources: The framework to download / print (pdf) and an image to display of the word 'Humility'. You will also need some images of superheroes that the children will recognise.
The video
BEN: Hiya, I'm Ben and this is the amazing story of Jupiter and the Animals. Do you enjoy looking at all the different animals there are in the world? I'm sure you do. They're all so different.
Difficult shapes and sizes…
Different colours and disguises…
And the story's told of someone else who enjoyed looking at all the animals - Jupiter, the king of the animals! Jupiter was so powerful: he could throw a lightning bolt at anyone who annoyed him.
One day, Jupiter was in a really good mood and decided to ask the animals if there was anything he could do to help. After all, he was king of the animals. So, he came down to Earth to make them an offer.
If one of these monkeys wanted a long neck like a giraffe, he could do that. And if one of these giraffes wanted a trunk like the elephant, he could do that too. Although, it might look a bit funny.
So, Jupiter gathered all the animals around him and said, "Hello, animals of the forest, fish of the sea, birds of the air. It's a great day, because today I can help you become the kind of animal that you'd like to be."
"If you'd like a longer nose like an ant-eater, or stronger legs to jump like a kangaroo, or have beautiful pink feathers like the flamingo, now is the time to say. And I, the all-powerful king of the animals, will make it happen. Right, who's first?"
To be honest, the animals were a bit stunned. What an offer! They couldn't believe their ears, and so they began to have a think and look around each other and after a few moments, the kangaroo spoke up…
"Tell you what you could do, mate, you could get rid of them silly humps on that camel. Have you ever seen anything so ridiculous?" But the camels were furious. They needed those humps to keep water in for long trips across the desert, and they were about to give the kangaroo a piece of their minds when the giraffe spoke up.
"If anyone looks ridiculous, it's the kangaroo. All that bouncing about and carrying your little ones in a pouch in your tummy. Oi, Jupiter, sort out the kangaroo!"
But the kangaroo did not like that at all. And she was about to say what she thought of the giraffe's silly long neck, but it was the lemur who spoke up next.
"Good idea," said the lemur, "and while we're making changes, go and find that elephant and make it smaller. It really is a ridiculous size and…"
"Oi! What you got against big animals," shouted the elephant. The lion agreed and roared. And soon, the animals were having a huge argument. Every animal pointing out what was wrong with the other.
Tortoises laughing at orangutans for their silly-looking arms, penguins pointing out the enormous bills on the pelicans. "Stop! Stop! Stop!"
Jupiter was very disappointed in the animals. What a bunch of proud animals they were. All of them thought they were better than the other. No humility at all. Jupiter said his offer for improvements had ended. Because of their pride, they had missed their chance.
So, with that, off he went. Mind you, I think animals are already pretty amazing. Thanks for helping me tell today's story, which was based on an old fable. See you again soon. Bye.
There are many fables which feature Jupiter, who was the king of the gods in Roman mythology. In this fable Jupiter offers to help the animals by changing any of their characteristics. But instead of considering their own characteristics and what they could improve, the animals begin to look at each other and criticise. Jupiter becomes exasperated and tells the animals they have missed their chance for his help. The fable helps us to reflect on humility. Being humble means that you don’t believe that you are better or more important than someone else. In this fable the animals would have acted with humility if they had thought about themselves and how they might change for the better.
Duration: 4' 14"
Final words: 'See you again soon. Bye!'
Video questions
- We find out at the beginning of the story that Jupiter wants to help the animals. How does he want to do this? (He offers to help the animals to change or improve themselves)
- Which animal does the kangaroo think should change and how? (The kangaroo thinks the camels should get rid of their humps)
- What other problems do the other animals suggest?
- Why does Jupiter get annoyed with the animals? What does he tell them? (Because they keep criticising each other. He tells them they have missed their chance for his help)
Key links
Assembly framework (pdf) document
Download / print the assembly framework ready for use
Image: the word Humility. image
Click to display image full size
1. Entry
Display some images of superheroes as the children enter and play your chosen music.
2. Introduction
Ask the children to look at the images of a few different superheroes. Ask them which one is the best (in their opinion). Do you think any of these is the perfect superhero? Why or why not?
Explain that the story in the video is about the value of humility. If we only thought about all the things we are great at, we might get proud - not pride in doing something well, but the kind of pride that makes us think that we are better than others. The value of humility reminds us that none of us is perfect, that we can know and accept our own strengths and weaknesses.
3. Play the video
Duration: 4' 14". The final words are: 'See you again soon. Bye!'
4. Time to talk
Lead a discussion about the story Jupiter and the Animals by asking:
- Jupiter thinks the animals are being proud. What does this mean to you? (The animals are thinking of themselves more highly than the others - they are criticising other animals and not reflecting on themselves; they are insulting other animals and putting them down)
- Does Jupiter actually help anyone? (No)
- The story is about the value of humility. How could the animals have been humble when Jupiter offered to help? (They could have thought about their own weaknesses and not acted as if they were better than anyone else)
- When can we sometimes get proud? (If we think that we are really good at something and don’t accept help from others, we might be proud. If we know we all have strengths and weaknesses and we don’t think we are better than others, then we are humble)
- Do you think it's important to be humble? Why?
5. Opportunity to sing
Suggestions from BBC collections below.
6. Opportunity for reflection
Let's think about the following words… Humility is not thinking less of yourself; humility is thinking of yourself less.
Let’s think about times when we choose to put others’ needs first…
We might hold a door open for someone else… ask someone how they are… or take care of someone when they are unhappy… Think about one thing that you could do for someone else today that would brighten their day…
7. Opportunity for prayer
Begin with your usual form of address (‘Dear God’, ‘Let us pray’, etc) and:
Thank you for the story of 'Jupiter and the Animals'.
Thank you that it teaches us about humility and that sometimes we criticise other people instead of being humble and noticing our own strengths and weaknesses.
Help us to think about the needs of other people and to encourage other people to do so too.
Amen.
Suggested songs
'Build up' (All about our school, no 12)
Verse 1:
Every word you say, (wo-oh)
Every game you play, (wo-oh)
Every silly face, (wo-oh)
Every single place, (wo-oh)
You can build up,
spoken 1, 2, 3, 4, 5!
Or you can tear down.
Chorus:
Build up one another,
Build up your sisters and brothers,
Build up one another,
Build up!
Verse 2:
Every joke you tell, (wo-oh)
Every name you spell, (wo-oh)
Everywhere you go, (wo-oh)
Everyone you know, (wo-oh)
You can build up,
spoken 1, 2, 3, 4, 5!
Or you can tear down.
Chorus:
Build up one another,
Build up your sisters and brothers,
Build up one another,
Build up!
Build up!
Build up!
'Together' (All about our school, no 13).
- Work together, not alone,
Gather round and share a problem.
Work together, hand in hand,
Gather round and work things out.
Chorus
‘Cos together, we can work it out together,
We can ride the stormy weather,
As long as we’re together we’re strong!
- There’s a setback, don’t despair,
Gather round and share your feelings.
Why just worry on your own?
Gather round and work things out.
Chorus
- If there’s trouble big or small,
Gather round and find an answer.
If you stumble there’s a friend,
Gather round and work things out.
Chorus
Song: 'While we live we learn' (All about our school, no 3. Vocal version)
While we live we learn, (while we live we learn,)
While we learn we grow, (while we learn we grow,)
And the more we grow, (and the more we grow,)
So the more we know, (so the more we know,)
And the more we know, (and the more we know,)
Then the readier we will be
For all life's big adventures
And all life's mysteries.
While we live we learn, (while we live we learn,)
While we learn we grow, (while we learn we grow,)
And the more we grow, (and the more we grow,)
So the more we know, (so the more we know,)
And the more we know, (and the more we know,)
Then the readier we will be
For all life's big adventures
And all life's mysteries.
For all life's big adventures
And all life's mysteries.
